noun
- a curve on the surface of a sphere that crosses all meridians at the same angle; a line of constant bearing used in navigation.
Usage: nautical; technical; also called a rhumb line
Examples
- A ship following a loxodrome maintains a constant compass bearing throughout its voyage.
- The loxodrome appears as a straight line on a Mercator projection map.
- Navigators traditionally used loxodromes for long-distance ocean travel.
- Unlike a great circle route, a loxodrome is not the shortest path between two points on a sphere.
- The loxodrome spirals toward the poles but never actually reaches them.